Lago di Como Travel Forum

Hi All,

We'll be going to Lake Como at the end of August and I have a few questions which have been left unanswered on Frommers & Trip Advisor.

1. What weather should we expect at the end of August?
2. Which town is more scenic: Bellagio or Cernobbio?
3. Anyone stayed in Villa d'Este and/or Villa Serbelloni? And if yes, which one would you recommend and why?

Thanks :-).

August in norhtern italy is quite hot, (25+ deg. celcius) but its much more bearable near the lake. The weather has been pretty variable the last few summers (either last year was nice, the year before rainy, and preceding rainy) but its generally nice. My dad's side of the family lives nearby there and i usually spend summers (part july and most of august since i was born) there

Its really a coin toss, both are gorgeous. Keep in mind that Cernobbio is Closer to Como, you may prefer this is you prefer cities to small towns, even though most of my friends that live in Como say there's not much nightlife there.

BTW, know that it will be insanely crowded in august... italy basically shuts down, especially around the 15th, and until the end of August.

As a side trip i suggest going to visit the monks at Piona. HTHS

Hi, thanks for the info, but I got a bit confused by the "Italy shuts down and it will be insanely crowded" comment lol

Whoops, i wasn't too clear:

August is when by far most italians go on vacation, many shoppes are closed, as well as public offices. Tourist areas though, become crowded, and Lake Como is a well sought destination.

bellagio is by far the more beautiful setting, on a peninsula between the two limbs of the lake. Very hilly with lots of steps, very touristic. Cernobbio is flat with a park on the lake, but less touristic. Villa d"Este is one of the great hotels in the world. The rooms are sumptuous and heavily decorated, the breakfast buffet is to die for, and the setting overlooking the lake with the floating pool is beautiful. Serbelloni is almost one of the great hotels of the world, with a pool overlooking the lake facing west into the sunset. But the best feature of this hotel is that it is the best in town and the view. Neither the rooms nor the food measure up to Villa D'Este. Needless to say both are expensive but the Villa d'este is spectacularly expensive. A third alternative is the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on the west shore of the Lake. This is also a fine hotel, perhaps a bit cheaper. Friends stayed here and loved it. Both towns have ferry stops, and you can visit either and all the ohers easily. We drove, which is also exciting, particularly to Bellagio where the road is not so good (although a new tunnel bypasses the worst of it). Car also gives access to a day trip to Lugano (come back thru Menaggio and drive the west shore of the Lake). We found a super restaurant in Cernobbio = don't remember the name but can give directions. You are gonna love this. Weather = hot during the day during our August trip but gets chilly at night.

Well, as long as the ferry runs along with buses & trains, and restaurants are open I think we'll be fine :-D Thank you for all of the info, Susanna.

Nicolaitan, your reply is the most informative by far! Thank you! But I still don't know whether to go for "one of the best hotels in the world" or for "an almost one of the best hotels in the world but in a more scenic place" :-D Both hotels will cost the same, with Serbelloni having a SLIGHTLY bigger room. How fare are Cernobbio & Bellagio from each other by ferry?

Hey - I"m from the north shore of the island. If you got the money, go for the Villa D'Este. We drove - even with the lousy road, no more than an hour. The ferry probably takes less, but you have to go into Cernobbio from the hotel to get it. It docks in downtown (yeah right downtown) bellagio. You can also ferry to Tremezzo and Villa Carlotta and to another gorgeious lake town that begins with a V Just acrosss the lake and north from Bellagio. Still, if you can drive, it adds a lot and saves time. The rooms at Serbelloni may be larger and the ceilings are painted, but Villa d'?Este is the premier hotel on the lake. And more convenient to most things you want to do including getting a train from Como into Milan for a day of shopping. Forgot that earlier. And if you do, you need advice on the train station in Como to use.

For some reason I thought that Cernobbio & Bellagio are much closer to each other. We plan on going to Milan & Lugano for day trips and of course I'd love advice on train stations and whatever else you'd like to share :-).

Oh! It's amazing how americans love our lake! Fantastic!
Maybe 'cause I live here, I think it's te most boring place on earth : )
However, I know, the lake is beautiful!
Villa d'Este is the most important and celebrate hotel here.
It's very famous and very chic. Stuff for rich people ; P
Obviously,if you have money, it's the best choise you can do!

For the distance between como - cernobbio and Bellagio see the web site
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/italia/navicomo/indicecomo.htm
you can find the boat/ferry for the west part of the lake.
The fast boat need about 1 hour to go from bellagio to cernobbio.
You can find timetables and prices for this summer.

If you want to go from como san giovanni station to Lugano, every hour you can find a train to Lugano.
But if you have a car you can drive from menaggio to porlezza and then to lugano
but if you are going to stay in cernobbio the best way to choose is the highway.
You can take it at the biginning of Cernobbio and you go directly to Lugano.
Don't forget you have to pay a special price to drive on swiss highway (I think it's about 40- SFr)
so maybe for a day trip it's better for you to go by train.
When you arrived to Lugano train station there are many buses for the center but
if you have strong legs it's funny to go down to the center throught narrow streets.
Lugano it's a beautiful city.
I can recommend some restaurants but they are far from the center.
they are quite expensive, like all in Lugano, but if you want to eat well for a tipical dinner, they are fantastic.
In the center you can find some turistic restaurants. Nothing special but good for lunch.
You can go also to Lido if you want to swimm or take an aperitif before go home.
However I work in Lugano, So if you need something I'm here.

The weather now is so hot (high humidity today) but como's meteo told us that this week end it's going to rain. ***. I want sun : )
They told also that this summer will be good. No rain this summer and I hope ; )
In the shore there is always a beautiful breeze and the night is ok.
But I don't know what sort of weather you are used to ; P

For a day shopping in Milan, I can repeat you the same stuff.
you can find every hour a train from como san giovanni to milano.
Then you have to take underground and go to Via Torino o Via Buenos Aires to do some chaotic shopping!
but here, I think susanna can help you better than me ; )

absolutely bellagio, which is the most scenic and you will never be sorry. the hot weather will be over, and the lake situation will be at the best. the life here is quiet, but there is some interesting night club.